The castle is an imposing stone structure.
Chunks of stone have fallen off in places from the siege, but the castle shows
no signs of significant damage. The Imperial commander approaches with
a squad of troops.

帝国軍隊長「突撃ィ！

Imperial Army Commander: Attack!

COMMANDER: Attack!

The soldiers begin a variety of what appear to
be idiotic attacks on the castle, such as running into the wall.

Scene change to inside the castle. Though
just as stone as the outside, the interior is intricately decorated and
even cheery. The soldiers talking amongst themselves, on the
other hand, are far more pessimistic, for whatever reason.

ドマ兵「ダメです！
ふせぎきれません。

Doma Soldier: It's no good!
We can't keep up the defense.

DOMA SENTRY: It's hopeless.
We can't keep them out.

ドマ兵「これまでか…

Doma Soldier: So this is it...

DOMA SENTRY: So, it's finally happening...

The music stops, as someone yells:

「またれよ！

: Be not so hasty!

A moment, Sir!

1-13 "Cyan" begins playing,
as a third man enters through a door to the rear. He is clad in navy
blue armor, and his longish black hair is pulled back. He has the
look of a warrior, and talks in a way that sounds outdated.

「ここはせっしゃにおまかせあれ！

: Leave this to me!

Allow me the honor!

おのれの主君に忠誠をちかい
王国のために剣をふるう異国の戦士
信ずるものを守るためなら
死をも恐れぬ勇気を持つ男……

Warrior of a foreign country, who swears loyalty
to his liege and wields sword for kingdom's sake.
A man with the courage to fear not even death
if to protect that which he believes in...

Faithful retainer to his family's
liege, with the courage and
strength of a hundred men...

{ｶｲｴﾝ}「敵の隊長さえたおせば
帝国軍はてったいするはずでござる。

{Cayenne}: An we but fell the enemy commander
the Imperial army ought withdraw.

{CYAN}: If we can fell their commander, they'll surely give up.

Classical English note:
"an" –> "if".

{ｶｲｴﾝ}「いくでござる！！

{Cayenne}: Let us go forth!!

{CYAN}: Let us give it a try.

Cayenne and the two soldiers walk out into
the midst of the chaos. The Doma soldiers distract some Imperial
soldiers.

{CYAN}: I am {CYAN},
retainer to the King of Doma.
I am your worst nightmare...

From what I understand, this sounds like
something out of a samurai movie. Actually, Cayenne is sort of a
samurai stereotype in general.

Cayenne's special skill allows him to
use an assortment of sword-based strikes with various effects.
Unfortunately, all but the first require increasing amounts of
charge time that limit their—and thus also
his—usefulness. Refer to his
character entry for details.

The enemy
Commander is
no match for Cayenne's superior skill. The remaining
Imperial soldiers look shocked.

For once, the common drop is the good
one. Consider yourself unlucky if you get a Phoenix Tail instead
of the more useful Black Belt.

帝国兵「隊長がやられた！
逃げろー！！

Imperial Soldier: The commander's toast!
Run away!!

TROOPER: The general's been
defeated! Run!!!

{ｶｲｴﾝ}「ろうじょうして、敵が
つかれるのをまつでござる。

{Cayenne}: We shall hold the castle and
wait for the enemy to grow weary.

{CYAN}: Walled up in there, we
can wait out our enemy!

帝国軍陣地
Imperial Army Encampment
IMPERIAL CAMP

Back to "Troops March On"
for the music.

With the enemy's ranks reduced, Shadow (if
present) takes the lead, perhaps to use his ninja skills to aid sneaking
deeper into the base with Mash.

There's a treasure chest in a nearby tent
that won't open. You can choose to kick it, hit it, or leave it. Kick it for
a battle with a few of the Doberman
enemy. They only appear here, so go for the kick.
Hitting it just results in pretending to be a cat.
Either option will get you the Star Pendant inside.

Before long, the party spots a generic soldier talking to the
other man who was in Tina's flashback of Gastra's speech. The man is wearing
a sea-green uniform. His light brown hair is in sort of a short mohawk that looks
almost dignified, if that's even possible for a mohawk. The party hides nearby
and listens in.

兵士「レオ将軍。
ドマの者はろうじょう戦の構えです。
ﾚｵ「お得意の戦法でくるか。

Soldier: General Leo.
Doma's people are set for a siege battle.
Leo: So, they're bringing their tactical specialty.

SOLDIER: General Leo.
The citizens of Doma seem to be playing a waiting game...
LEO: So, that's their strategy.

Soldier: General.
We have the resolve to attack the castle.
Any time you give the order...
Leo: Don't be in such a hurry.
Even if we attacked Doma Castle now,
we'd just pay for it in pointless sacrifices.

SOLDIER: General.
We're ready to take the castle. Just give the order...
LEO: Patience!
If we attack now, we'll have to sacrifice too many lives.

兵士「しかし、将軍。
帝国のためなら私はいつでも命を
落とすかくごはできています。

Soldier: But, general.
I am prepared to lay down my life at
any time if it will serve the Empire.

SOLDIER: But, General!
I'm ready to lay my life down at any time for the Empire!

Leo: You probably have family back home.
Are you telling me to carry your
sword back to your family?
How am I supposed to face them then?
You're a person before you're a soldier in
the Imperial army. Don't waste your life.
I'm sure Emperor Gastra would agree.

LEO: And your family lives
there? Fall in battle, and I'll
have to deliver the bad news...
What shall I say to them?
You have a life to go back to
someday. Don't throw it all
away for nothing. Emperor
Gestahl wouldn't want that.

兵士「はい！

Soldier: Sir!

SOLDIER: Yes, Sir!

The soldier, likely in better spirits than he has
been in a while, walks off. Another one runs up.

兵士「レオ将軍！

Soldier: General Leo!

SOLDIER: General Leo!

兵士「ガストラ皇帝からの伝書鳥です。

Soldier: A carrier pigeon from Emperor Gastra.

SOLDIER: A carrier pigeon from Emperor Gestahl.

ﾚｵ「何…？

Leo: What...?

LEO: What...?

ﾚｵ「皇帝がお呼びのようだ。
私は先に本国に帰る事にする。

Leo: It seems the Emperor calls for me.
I'll be returning to the homeland early.

Leo: Just don't use foul play.
Enemy soldiers or not, they're as
human as us. Don't forget that part.
Cefca: We don't need any sympathy for
lands connected with the Returners!
Though its not like I had anything
like that handy to begin with!

LEO: Don't be pompous!
And DON'T forget that they are
PEOPLE, just like you and me.
KEFKA: We need not spare those
lands that gave rise to the
Returners!

Cefca: Is the poison ready?
Soldier: But General Leo said no poison...
Cefca: He's not here any more.
I'm top rank. Hand it over!
Soldier: There are prisoners from our army in
Doma Castle too. If they drink the water...
Cefca: I don't care! Who needs idiots dumb
enough to get captured by the enemy!?

KEFKA: Is the poison ready?
SOLDIER: But, General Leo said...
KEFKA: He's no longer here!
I'm in charge now. Pour it!
SOLDIER: Some of our people are
prisoners inside the castle!
If we poison the river...
KEFKA: Do it!
Take 'em all out!

By now, Mash is sick of listening,
and confronts Cefca heedless of the
danger.

While
the party is free to roam the base, make sure to open all the
chests, especially the one with the
Satellite inside.
Note that it counters Mash's techniques by hitting him
with 'berserk' status, and that soldiers will arrive to
back it up if the battle drags on too long:

警報がなりひびく

An alarm sounds.

Alarm's ringing!

Anyway, it appears on the Beast Plain
later if beaten, making for a source of unlimited Green Berets, as
well as providing Gau with a Rage that's immune to nearly every
status effect. There's also a Mithril Bracer in the same tent, and
I never would have known this if not for Djibriel's walkthrough,
but you can hop down behind this tent to find a Barrier Ring in
another.

The brief battle sequence repeats a few
times, with brief dialogue between encounters.

One of which is unused.

ｹﾌｶ「しつこいヤツめ。
そんなにひどい目に会いたいか！！

Cefca: Stubborn twit.
Are you that desperate to suffer!?

KEFKA: What an oaf!
When I get my hands on him...

ｹﾌｶ「ハァハァハァ…
しつこいヤツだね、まったく！！！

Cefca: *pant* *pant* *pant*...
Geez, what a stubborn twit!!!

KEFKA: Ha, ha, ha!
...What a toad!

ｹﾌｶ「ふんっ！
いつまでもおまえの相手など
してられるか！！
次に会った時は許さないからな！！

Cefca: Hmph!
Like I can just keep taking
you on forever!!
Next time we meet, you'll pay!!

KEFKA: Huh!?
How long do you expect me to
put up with you? Next time,
you're a goner.

This time,
Cefca ducks behind a nearby group of soldiers after running
away.